Johannesburg
Indian left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav celebrated his 29th birthday in style by delivering a stellar performance in the third T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers. Kuldeep claimed a career-best 5/17 as India secured a resounding 106-run victory, leveling the series at 1-1. Expressing his joy, Kuldeep said, It was a special day. Never thought that I will pick five wickets. I just wanted the team to win the match, and I am happy to contribute, which is more important. He highlighted his concern about rhythm after not bowling for a while but credited the conditions, stating, The ball was leaving the hand nicely, the conditions were also suited for the spinners. Having played six ODIs and two T20Is in South Africa, Kuldeep emphasized the spinner-friendly conditions in the country, stating, In South Africa, the wickets are very good for the spinners. The good thing about these wickets is that the ball comes very quickly after pitching. He discussed varying his variations and focusing on length and tricks to trouble the batsmen. Reflecting on the challenging period following India’s loss in the Men’s ODI World Cup final to Australia on November 19, Kuldeep admitted, Starting the first seven to ten days were really difficult. Whenever I was waking up, the thought of losing the World Cup final was haunting me. However, he acknowledged the opportunity to play in South Africa, where he last played in 2018, and highlighted the importance of learning from setbacks in cricket.
